The present invention relates to a filler cup for filling a fluid filter, such as a fuel filter, with fluid, such as fuel.
As clean air standards have been adopted by government agencies in many regions of the world, diesel engine manufacturers have adopted new fuel systems to comply with tighter emissions regulations. These new fuel systems deliver higher injection pressures and more precise injection timing events to control exhaust emissions. In order to provide these features, the fuel pumping elements and injector passages have been re-designed to provide tighter clearances than before, making them more susceptible to plugging or damage from fuel contaminants. One of the means of protecting these fuel systems is to provide more efficient fuel filters, which trap contaminants in the 2 micron range, as compared to 4 to 5 micron filters on previous engines.
Such filters are normally replaced at a recommended service interval, consistent with diesel engine maintenance practices. When an equipment servicer replaces a canister-type (xe2x80x9cspin-onxe2x80x9d) fuel filter on a diesel engine, it is customary to pre-fill the new filter with diesel fuel before installing it. This reduces the time required to prime the system when the engine is started. The servicer pours fuel into the top of the filter, which has ports that communicate to passages into the filtered or xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d and the unfiltered or xe2x80x9cdirtyxe2x80x9d sides of the filter element. In doing this it is difficult to prevent the unfiltered fuel from being poured into the xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d side. As a result, contaminants may travel throughout the fuel system once the engine is started. This may cause damage to fuel system components, and subsequently, diminish engine performance.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a device for filling fuel filters which prevents unfiltered fuel from entering into the clean side of the filter.
These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, wherein a disposable fill-assist cup is screwed onto a canister-type (xe2x80x9cspin-onxe2x80x9d) fuel filter. The fuel filter has inlet ports for receiving unfiltered fuel and a threaded central outlet port from which flows filtered fuel. The cup has a circular base and a cylindrical rim. A hollow threaded stub projects away from the base and away from the interior of the cup. The stub screws into the outlet port of the filter. The cup also has a hollow central cylindrical tube or standpipe which is aligned with the stub and which projects away from the base and into the interior of the cup. A plurality of openings are formed in the base. These openings communicate fuel to the inlet ports and to the unfiltered or dirty side of the filter, after the cup is attached to the filter.
The stub attaches the cup to the filter, the stub and standpipe together prevent unfiltered fuel from flowing into the outlet port or clean side of the filter element. The stub and standpipe also provide a path for the bleeding of air from the filter as it is filled with fuel. A snap-on cap is attached to the top of the standpipe to prevent contaminants from entering the standpipe and the clean side of the filter element. The cap has air clearance with the standpipe, in order to allow for air to escape as the fuel level is raised in the clean side of the fuel filter. A scallop in the edge of the cup is integrated to provide a thumb-hold so as to allow the filter-cup assembly to be held with one hand.